Local business buzz

Samuel Epp of Longview, Texas, was named to the Spring 2013 President’s List at LeTourneau University.

Epp achieved a perfect 4.0 grade point average and was named "Most Outstanding Business Graduate." He graduated from LeTourneau University on May 4, 2013, with a bachelor of science with majors in finance and accounting and minors in business administration and economics.

Epp is the son of Bryan and Janell Epp of Hesston and grandson of Willard and Elise Epp of North Newton. He is starting a new job on July 1 in Pennsylvania as an accountant and financial analyst for Rampmaster.

Area food banks benefit from contributions

With food banks preparing for an increased need of their services throughout the summer, MKC helped to alleviate some of that concern through a recent donation of almost 6,000 pounds of food and $15,000 in cash.

"With school out for the summer, some households struggle with making their grocery supplies last," stated Kerry Watson, director of communications for MKC. "MKC and its employees wanted to do their part in the fight against hunger in our communities."

MKC employees hosted their second annual food drive in April, collecting almost 6,000 pounds of food. MKC's cash donation was matched by a grant through Land O' Lakes Foundation.

Food banks benefiting from the donations were located in Marion, Reno, McPherson, Ottawa, Butler, Harvey, Saline and Rice counties.

MKC sponsors photo contest, entries sought

Amateur photographers are invited to showcase their skills by capturing their favorite wheat harvest scene and entering it in MKC's photo contest. All entries will be posted on MKC's Facebook page, where fans can vote for their favorite entry.

Three prizes will be awarded with the winning entry earning a $50 Cenex gift card and the potential to be used in seasonal marketing materials for MKC. Second and third place entries will receive a $25 Cenex gift card along with the potential to be used in seasonal marketing materials for MKC.

Photos will become the property of MKC and will be posted on MKC's social media sites. To participate, submit your photos to photocontest@mkcoop.com. Photos should be high resolution (not to exceed 5MB) and submitted in JPEG or GIF format no later than noon on July 26. For additional details and rules, see www.mkcoop.com.

Prairie View calls attention to PTSD awareness

Prairie View joins the National Center for PTSD in asking the public to “Take the Step: Raise PTSD Awareness.” Both groups are drawing attention to June as PTSD Awareness Month and June 27 as PTSD Awareness Day.

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is a severe stressor-related disorder that follows exposure to a traumatizing event; such trauma can be directly experienced by an individual or the trauma can be witnessed. Examples of various traumas that may lead to PTSD include military combat, physical assault, sexual abuse, a serious car wreck or violent natural disaster.

Page 2 of 2 - During their lifetimes, more than half of U.S. adults will experience some kind of trauma, and seven out of 100 will later be diagnosed with PTSD. Not all people who experience a severe trauma will develop PTSD, but for those who do, the symptoms of PTSD can dramatically affect their lives.

"Symptoms of PTSD, such as nightmares, flashbacks, intrusive memories of the trauma or an exaggerated startle reflex often start soon after the trauma," he said. "Triggers that remind the individual of the trauma can make certain symptoms of the PTSD worse and persist for years.”

Other symptoms of PTSD can include a general numbing of emotions, episodes of anger or irritability, sleep disturbance and hypervigilance.

Stigmas related to receiving mental health care sometimes prevent people from getting the help they need.

“People commonly think they can just get better on their own or with the passing of time,” Fast said. “I had one person tell me that he waited for years to come to treatment because he thought that what he was experiencing was 'normal' for what he had experienced and that he thought he just had to live that way.”

With the evidence based treatments that are available, said Fast, individuals can gradually reduce the intensity and frequency of their symptoms. Giving those who suffer from PTSD control of their lives is a goal for treatment. With successful treatment, both the individual with PTSD and his or her family can once again find calm and peace.